Information Compliance &
Record Management Unit
Mr Gavin Chait / Our ref: GSA826/16
When calling or telephoning
please ask for Caroline Barker
14thApril 2016
Dear Mr Gavin Chait,
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 826/16
I write in connection with your request for information dated 30thMarch 2016. I note you seek access to the following information:-
In terms of the Freedom of Information Act of 2000, could you please provide me with the following information for each of the last five years (i.e. 2011 to 2015), and tallied by borough council in which the incidents occurred:
1. Total number of empty business premises (including retail, office and industrial) affected by each of (as a direct consequence of their being empty):
a. Criminal activity
b. Squatting
c. Damage
2. Total number of occupied business premises (including retail, office and industrial) affected by each of:
a. Criminal activity
b. Squatting
c. Damage
3. Where possible, total value in GBP of the theft or damage to empty business premises (including retail, office and industrial) by each of (as a direct consequence of their being empty):
a. Criminal activity
b. Squatting
c. Damage
4. Where possible, total value in GBP of the theft or damage to occupied business premises (including retail, office and industrial) by each of:
a. Criminal activity
b. Squatting
c. Damage
If the value in GBP is not known, then please provide the balance of data requested.
Clarification on types of premises:
Abattoir
Agricultural land
Airport
Amusement arcade
Animal sanctuary
Art gallery
Auction mart
Auction room
Aviary
Bakery
Bank
Bar
Barber
Beauty salon
Betting shop
Bingo hall
Boat builders yard
Boiler house
Bonded warehouse
Bowling alley
Bowling club
Bowling green
Brewery
Brickworks
Brothel
Builders merchant
Builders yard
Building site
Building society
Bureau de change
Bus depot
Bus station
Business park
Butcher
Cafe
Canteen
Car showroom
Car wash
Caravan site
Cash and carry
Cash dispenser
Casino
Caterers
Cattery
Chemical plant
Chemist
Cinema
Circus
Coal merchant
Coin dealer
Cold storage
Colliery
Concert hall
Confectioner
Conference centre
Construction site
Consulting room
Crematorium
Dairy
Dance studio
Dental surgery
Department store
Depot
Derelict building
Disco
Diy store
Dog track
Dry cleaner
Estate agent
Exhibition centre
Exhibition ground
Factory
Fairground
Farm
Farm building
Farmhouse
Filling station
Fish farm
Fishmonger
Florist
Foundry
Fuel depot
Function room
Funeral parlour
Furniture store
Garden centre
Golf course
Goodsyard
Greengrocer
Guest house
Gunsmith
Gymnasium
Haberdashery
Hairdresser
Hangar
Health centre
Health club
Hostel
Hotel
Hypermarket
Ice rink
Incinerator
Indoor amusement
Industrial estate
Industrial unit
Internet cafe
Jeweller
Joiners shop
Kennels
Kiosk
Laboratory
Laundrette
Laundry
Leisure centre
Leisure complex
Locksmith
Lorry park
Marina
Market
Market garden
Market hall
Market stall
Massage parlour
Meeting rooms
Mill
Mine
Mobile phone station
Mobile shop
Motel
Motorcycle showroom
Motorway services
Multi occupancy
Multi storey car pk
Multistorey
Museum
Music shop
Newsagent
Nightclub
Nursery
Off licence
Office
Office equipment sup
Optician
Pawnbroker
Photographic
Power station
Printers
Pumping station
Quarry
Racetrack
Radio station
Railway station
Reception
Recycling depot
Refuse tip
Repair yard
Research est
Restaurant
Retail park
Roller skating rink
Sauna
Sawmill
Scrapyard
Security lodge
Sewage works
Sex shop
Shop
Shopping centre
Shopping mall
Shopping precinct
Skate park
Snack bar
Snooker hall
Sorting office
Sports centre
Sports stadium
Stables
Staff room
Stationer
Strip club
Stud farm
Studio
Sub station
Supermarket
Superstore
Surgery
Takeaway
Tattoo parlour
Telephone exchange
Theatre
Theme park
Timber yard
Training centre
Transport cafe
Travel agent
Tv station
Undertaker
Vacant premises
Veterinary surgery
Video shop
Visitors centre
Warehouse
Waterworks
Wine bar
Workshop
Yha
Ymca
Ywca
Zoo
Result Of Searches
Greater Manchester Police does not hold the information that you have requested in an easily retrievable format. Searches have been conducted for crimes where the premises are listed in the list you have provided. However, in order to establish how many premises are occupied or unoccupied and whether the crime happened because the premises was empty would involve a manual search of records to extract such data.
The volume of records that would have to be assessed is as follows:-
YearNumber of crimes recorded
201151,892
201243,861
201343,303
201443,682
201547,446
Grand Total230,184
Therefore as per section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the cost of providing you with the information is above the amount to which we are legally required to respond i.e. the cost of locating and retrieving the information exceeds the ‘appropriate level’ as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004.
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts as a Refusal Notice.
GMP is obligated, pursuant to section 16(1) of the Act to provide you with advice and assistance on refining your request to bring compliance within the fees limit. On this occasion advice is difficult to provide, if we asked you to reduce the time periodto a shorter time frame it may not make any difference, as the volume of records that would be returned would still need to be checked to provide any of the requested information.
Complaint Rights
Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet, which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further queries concerning this matter, please write or contact me on telephone number 0161-856-2529 quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Caroline Barker
Information Compliance & Records Management Unit
COMPLAINT RIGHTS
Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the decision is incorrect?
You have the right to require Greater Manchester Police to review their decision.
Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.
Ask to have the decision looked at again –
The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision letter.
That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and assist with any problems.
Complaint
If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of Greater Manchester Police made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding access to information, you can lodge a complaint with Greater Manchester Police to have the decision reviewed.
Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:
Freedom of Information Officer
Greater Manchester Police
Police Headquarters
Openshaw Complex
Lawton Street
Openshaw
Manchester
M11 2NS
The Information Commissioner
After lodging a complaint with Greater Manchester Police if you are still dissatisfied with the decision you can make an application to the Information Commissioner for a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Act.
For information on how to make an application to the Information Commissioner please visit their website at Alternatively, phone or write to:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700
Information Compliance & Records Management Unit, Information Services Branch
Greater Manchester Police, c/o Openshaw Complex, Lawton Street, Manchester M11 2NS
Tel: 0161 856 2529, Fax: 0161 856 2535, Minicom: 0161 872 6633,
Email: